Angel Charte reveals the ‘doubts’ he has over Jorge Martin’s MotoGP return

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Jorge Martin has now missed 14 races this season as he continues to battle a nightmare run of injuries.

The reigning champion’s MotoGP title defence has gone about as poorly as it could have done, with no resistance put up by the Spaniard. When Aprilia signed him in 2024, they were probably expecting him to be around a little bit more than he has.

But Martin has been on the back foot ever since he crashed at pre-season testing in Malaysia, suffering numerous setbacks and making a few mistakes along the way. He was just beginning to build some momentum when he crashed in Japan a few weeks ago and found himself back on the sidelines again.

Martin has been tipped to return in Valencia for the season-finale in a few weeks, but won’t race in Portugal, the site of a horrific accident he was a part of in 2021. MotoGP fans have said the same thing about Martin and believe he should focus on a return for 2026, and not rush back too soon.

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Massimo Rivola ‘couldn’t believe’ Aprilia signed Martin when Ducati decided that they would sign Marc Marquez for a factory seat in 2025, instead of the 2024 champion. It was a bit of a surprise, but also a shame for the Spaniard, who had worked hard to earn that gig.

Fortunately, the signs are positive for the future, and Aprilia have improved a great deal throughout the current season. On faster tracks, they are now the benchmark, and a title challenge in 2026 is definitely possible.

Aprilia and Martin have a ‘pretty good feeling’ together, and now have a bit of experience working together. It’s something that will be handy in 2026, when he returns to full fitness.

Right now, Dr Angel Charte still has his ‘doubts’ over whether a return to action before the end of 2025 is a good idea for Martin.

“I also spoke with Jorge a few days ago,” he told Diario AS. “He was seen at my hospital when we were in Australia. Dr. Mir called me and told me that the situation was quite good, and Jorge himself confirmed this when I spoke with him.

“He seems eager and strong. My impression? Without seeing any tests, is that he’s much better, but I have my doubts.”

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In the event that Martin does return in Valencia, retiring or finishing in the points would see him continue a five-year streak of never having finished a Grand Prix outside of the points.

It shows just how fast and consistent he has been through the years, and is a reminder of how dangerous he could be in 2026.

Neil Hodgson thinks Martin may look to leave Aprilia if they get off to a poor start next year, but the hope is that they have solved many issues over the last nine or so months.

Now that they’re on track, they can apply some real pressure on Ducati, who are already on the back foot while Marc Marquez recovers from a shoulder injury of his own.